Three people, including two traffic police officers, have died following an explosion on Yeletskaya Street in Moscow, Russian authorities have confirmed. The blast occurred as the officers approached a suspicious individual near their police vehicle.
According to Russia’s Investigative Committee, the two traffic officers had noticed the suspect and moved to detain him when an explosive device detonated. The officers succumbed to their injuries on the scene, along with another person who was nearby at the time.
Svetlana Petrenko, a spokesperson for the Investigative Committee, said on Telegram: "A criminal case is being investigated in Moscow regarding an attempt on the lives of traffic police officers."
The explosion comes shortly after a senior Russian general, Lt Gen Fanil Sarvarov, was killed in the capital on Monday in a separate car bombing. Sarvarov died when an explosive device planted under his car went off.
Authorities have launched investigations to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the Yeletskaya Street blast and any possible links to previous attacks.